Internet Abuzz Over Donald Trump's Autograph On Laken Riley Pic

The former president managed to misspell the deceased college student's name in the process.
LOADINGERROR LOADING
1/1 Continue watchingafter the adLoading PodsVisit Advertiser websiteGO TO PAGE

Donald Trump met with the parents of Laken Riley, the college student found dead near the University of Georgia last month, before Saturday’s rally ― and a photo of their encounter definitely attracted internet eyeballs on Tuesday.

Riley died after Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen who immigration authorities say unlawfully crossed into the United States in 2022, allegedly killed her.

Authorities said Riley’s skull was disfigured and that she died from blunt force trauma. As a result, Ibarra has been charged with multiple crimes, including malice murder, felony murder and false imprisonment.

Because Riley’s alleged killer was in the country illegally, many right-wingers have turned her death into a cause célèbre.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) castigated President Joe Biden at the State of the Union, telling him to “say her name.”

The president did, though it sounded like he was saying, “Lincoln Riley” instead.

Riley’s mother, Allyson Phillips, was upset at Biden’s verbal blunder, calling it “pathetic,“ according to the New York Post.

Phillips and Riley’s father, Jason Riley, attended Trump’s Georgia rally and met the former president backstage.

Trump posted photos of the meeting on his website, including one pic that many people on social media found bizarre since it showed Riley’s parents beaming with joy after Trump had autographed a photo of their deceased daughter.

Oh, and, like Biden, he got Riley’s name wrong, misspelling it as “Lakan.”

The mixed messages in the photo inspiried a lot of reactions.

Support HuffPost

Your Loyalty Means The World To Us

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your will go a long way.

Dear HuffPost Reader

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Dear HuffPost Reader

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost

Popular in the Community

Close